What for-credit classes does the library offer?

Library 100 Information Literacy (1 credit, credit/no credit): Penrose Library is a center of campus life but do you ever wonder how to use the library? This course aims to introduce research processes and resources and help students feel comfortable and confident in the library. More than just searching the library catalog, we will focus on developing information literacy skills that are integral to lifelong learning and transferable to any class where you do research at Whitman. These transferable skills include:understanding how to approach a research project or paper, recognizing what resources you need and how to find them, evaluating sources with a critical lens, and exploring copyright and intellectual property. Open to first-and second-year students, others by consent of instruction. Fall 2022, Thursdays 2:30-3:20

Library 120 Information and Society (2 credits, credit/no credit): Libraries in the United States and around the world have historically promoted the values of equal access to information, patrons' rights to privacy, and preservation of the cultural and historical record. At present, information is increasingly created, disseminated and preserved online, and new models for corporate or public ownership of information are being tested. With these changes, many issues and challenges arise for information access, privacy and preservation. This course will ask how do new information systems enable or constrain our civic engagement with information? We will examine topics such as "Net Neutrality" and the digital divide; scholarly publishing and open access; big data, surveillance and privacy online; and digital preservation and how it relates to the previous topics. Spring 2023, Tuesdays/Thursdays 11:30-12:20

Library 150 Research in Archives and Special Collections (1 credit, credit/no credit): Introduces students to the holdings of the Whitman College and Northwest Archives, with a focus on developing artifactual literacy and archival intelligence. We will explore the politics of archival collections, learn to interrogate a wide variety of primary sources, and develop cross-disciplinary research questions based on these sources. The course will be grounded in our local culture and history; potential topics include Narcissa and Marcus Whitman and their legacy, the College as institution,and various aspects of Walla Walla’s past and present. Possible outcomes include physical and digital exhibits. Fall 2022, Tuesdays 2:30-3:20

Library 160 Documentation and Representation in Archives (1 credit, credit/no credit): How should or can an archive as an institution document the underrepresented voices in the community/communities they serve? Through hands-on work in the Whitman College and Northwest Archives, this course will explore the ethical, legal, and technological challenges of creating-a digital or material archival collection that documents the history and politics of underrepresented voices both at Whitman College and in the Walla Walla Valley. Students will learn hands-on technological skills for using audio and video equipment, conducting interviews, capturing metadata, and organizing digital objects, and displaying digital content to public audiences. Professional and ethical standards that govern how archives negotiate with potential donors will also be considered. With this background, students will work on projects that expand who is represented in the Whitman Archives. Topics for student research could include, but are not limited to, International students, First-Generation students, the histories (and present) of student clubs and organizations, and the histories (and present) of migrations to the Walla Walla Valley. Spring 2022, Wednesdays 11-11:50